The Philadelphia Eagles lost 24–21 to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 12 at AT&T Stadium after leading 21–0 early in the second quarter. The Eagles scored touchdowns on their first three drives, Jalen Hurts threw one touchdown pass and ran for two more, and A.J. Brown had five receptions for 67 yards in the first quarter, which included a 16-yard touchdown for the game’s opening points, finishing with eight receptions for 110 yards on 10 targets. After their fast start, the Eagles went 42 minutes without scoring, ending the game with five punts, a missed field goal, and a fumble.
Dallas began its comeback in the second half behind Dak Prescott. Prescott threw for 354 yards and two touchdowns, reaching a career total of 34,378 passing yards and surpassing Tony Romo’s franchise record of 34,183. Prescott also recorded his 25th winning drive when tied or trailing in the fourth quarter or overtime, breaking a tie with Romo in that category. He added an 8-yard rushing touchdown that tied the game early in the fourth quarter.
Dallas’ scoring plays included a 1-yard touchdown catch by George Pickens, a 48-yard reception by CeeDee Lamb that set up a 4-yard touchdown catch by Brevyn Spann-Ford, and Pickens’ late 24-yard catch that allowed Dallas to run down the clock before Brandon Aubrey made a 42-yard field goal as time expired. Pickens finished with nine receptions for 146 yards and one touchdown.
Philadelphia had several late-game mistakes. Saquon Barkley lost his first fumble of the season. Xavier Gipson fielded a punt at the Eagles’ 2-yard line and fumbled after contact from Alijah Clark and Markquese Bell. Dallas did not score on every opportunity created by these mistakes. One sequence ended with an incomplete fourth-down pass from Prescott to Jake Ferguson from the 2-yard line.
Dallas had a shaky start, at the very least. Two penalties extended Philadelphia’s second touchdown drive, and a false start by Tyler Guyton at the 1-yard line preceded Prescott’s interception in the end zone. The game carried added meaning for the Cowboys. It was their first home game since the death of defensive end Marshawn Kneeland. Before kickoff, the team showed a video tribute and held a moment of silence. Osa Odighizuwa carried a flag with Kneeland’s name and number, 94, during introductions.
The loss was Philadelphia’s first defeat after leading by at least 21 points since 1999, when Arizona beat the Eagles 25–24. It was Dallas’ first win after trailing by three touchdowns since a 34–31 victory over the Rams in 2014.
After the game, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said he would not make sweeping judgments and attributed the team’s mistakes to himself as head coach. Hurts said the team needed to find consistency and did not play a complete game.
Sportsbooks adjusted several betting markets following the loss. Before Week 12, the Eagles’ Super Bowl odds had moved as short as +500 to +550 at major sportsbooks. Philadelphia entered the Dallas game as a road favorite, with the line opening around -4.5 and closing at -3. After the 24–21 loss, their Super Bowl price moved to approximately +600, and the Rams shifted into the favorite position at several books.
Despite the loss, the Eagles remained a strong favorite to win the NFC East, with division odds ranging from -5000 to -10000. Conference odds settled around the low +300s, and Jalen Hurts’ MVP price moved into the +2000 to +2200 range. Rookie safety Andrew Mukuba suffered a fractured ankle during the game and was expected to undergo surgery, and several Eagles defensive backs, including Reed Blankenship and Adoree’ Jackson, were listed as questionable entering the following week.
For Week 13, Philadelphia opened as a 7-point favorite against the Chicago Bears, with the total set at 44.5 and the Eagles listed at -325 on the moneyline. Both teams entered that matchup at 8–3.
